The Housing and Urban Development - Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Social Worker will work with Veterans in the HUD-VASH Program. The Social Worker will collaborate and deliver case management services provided to Veterans in the programs serving Veterans experiencing homelessness. It is expected that the delivery of Social Work services is time limited. The Social Worker has general medical knowledge regarding health and mental health diagnoses. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work. Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline. For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam, and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam. In states such as California, Washington, and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years, social workers must become licensed at the independent, master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure. A social worker who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grandfathering Provision: The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation. Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-9 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veterans problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed. Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals. This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology. Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-11 Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings, (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OR, Education. In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e. acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan. Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals. Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11. ["Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized for highly qualified candidates Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required The Social Worker (HUD-VASH) assists Veterans throughout the permanent housing process which may include: assisting Veterans with obtaining documents necessary for referral to the Public Housing Authority (PHA), completing treatment plans and psychosocial assessments to ensure barriers to housing stability are identified and addressed, transporting Veterans to various VA and PHA appointments, connecting Veterans with both VA and non-VA resources, conducting home visits and working in collaboration with landlords/managers and community partners to ensure Veterans maintain permanent housing. Duties of the position include, but are not limited to: Utilizes an intensive case management approach to connecting Veterans to resources and services necessary to obtain and maintain permanent housing. Works in partnership with the Veteran to identify and address any barriers to optimal health and housing stability. Works to link the Veteran to VA/non-VA benefits and assists the Veteran with the application process when appropriate. Utilizes standardized instruments in the assessment of behavioral health conditions. Provide individual/group counseling, marital/family counseling, crisis intervention services, discharge planning services and will also facilitate psychoeducation and support groups. Organizes community services on behalf of homeless Veterans developing and coordinating procedures for use of these services by related staff. Develops working relationships and agreements with other organizations having responsibilities for the same Veteran population. Maintains a current and productive network of referral resources and makes provision for referral services from other agencies, community resources (i.e., transition or halfway houses, shelters, etc.), and other Governmental agencies to resolve problems or support continued transition to independence. Conducts and participates in outreach activities including field interviews, assessments and referrals for homeless Veterans contacted in the community, shelters, and \"on the streets,\" as well as those who are referred by VA residential programs, medical centers or outpatient clinics. Maintains current and establishes new relationships with other community-based service providers for the homeless, and when appropriate, represents VA at community service provider meetings. Must have a high level of skill and expertise to establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and/or their families. Independently work with Veterans and their families experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial problems. Independently complete thorough psychosocial assessments to determine the mental health diagnosis, psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families. Demonstrate knowledge and experience in the use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. Independently conducts psychosocial assessments of high-risk patients to identify suicidality through use of the Suicide Risk Assessment (SRA) and other appropriate tools. Participates as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team through collaboration with Veterans and family, in the development and implementation of treatment goals and interventions. Facilitate action for community placements through collaboration with Veterans and their families as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members to ensure that appropriate community placements are completed in a timely manner. Implement psychotherapeutic treatment modalities, provide educational classes, and/or treatment and supportive groups for Veterans and families. Provide consultation and education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources, VA benefits and specialty programs, and advance directives. Provide consultation to other treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of Veterans and/or their families and the impact of the identified psychosocial problems on the Veteran's health care planning and compliance with treatment. Provide orientation coaching to new social workers and social work graduate students. Acts as a liaison between VA and community resources, to include marketing and public relation duties as needed. Travel where necessary, or as assigned in the capacity of community outreach support. Participates in a rotation of on-call social workers, including modification of tour of duty to accommodate service needs after hours or on the weekends. Performs other duties, as needed to meet the needs of the service, facility and/or the mission of the VA."]

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